Conflict

Vietnam Serenade

1984 · Mortarhate MORT 6 · Eltham, UK: England

Artist
Conflict
Title
Vietnam Serenade
Release
Increase the Pressure
Year
1984
Label
Mortarhate # MORT 6
Format
LP · Album
Language
English
Country
Eltham, UK: England
Genre
Punk · Punk
Primary theme
Post-War

Annotation

This British punk band formed in Eltham, South London in 1981. The original line up included Colin Jerwood (vocals), Francisco Carreno (drums), Big John (bass guitar), Steve (guitars), and Pauline (vocals). They used the Vietnam conflict to warn the US against further interventionist policies under President Reagan in the song "Vietnam Serenade" - released on their own record label, Mortarhate Records (# MORT 6). The narrator argued that whether or not a country had a communist or fascist regime, the US ought to avoid war. However, because "they were not on the wrong end of napalm", the government and military continued to seek out "power and glory". They concluded the song be posing the question: "will Vietnam be the forerunner to El Salvador?" - a reference to US intervention in the Salvadoran Civil War (1979–1992). The US supplied large amounts of military aid to the military-led government against left-wing guerrilla groups.Note: Napalm B, classified as a chemical weapon, caused devastating burn wounds - a jellied gasoline mixture, with polystyrene, benzene, and gasoline. Declared a war-crime since 1980, the US government used it extensively during the Vietnam conflict…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Punk Songs

This British Anarcho-Punk band formed in Eltham, South London in 1981. The original line up included Colin Jerwood (vocals), Francisco Carreno (drums), Big John (bass guitar), Steve (guitars), and Pauline (vocals). They used the Vietnam conflict to warn the US against further interventionist policies under President Reagan in the song "Vietnam Serenade" - released on their own record label, Mortarhate Records (# MORT 6). The narrator argued that whether or not a country had a communist or fascist regime, the US ought to avoid war. However, because "they were not on the wrong end of napalm", the government and military continued to seek out "power and glory". They concluded the song be posing the question: "will Vietnam be the forerunner to El Salvador?" - a reference to US intervention in the Salvadoran Civil War (1979–1992). The US supplied large amounts of military aid to the military-led government against left-wing guerrilla groups. Note: Napalm B, classified as a chemical weapon, caused devastating burn wounds - a jellied gasoline mixture, with polystyrene, benzene, and gasoline. Declared a war-crime since 1980, the US government used it extensively during the Vietnam…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

About the artist

English anarcho-punk band formed 1981 in London. [Source: Wikipedia]

Themes

Napalm · El Salvador

In collections

European Songs · Punk Songs